A Choice
by Serendipity73
Summary: A Choice has to be made


"Joe, what about Westlake?" Frankie asks him as he fiddles with his new little toy at the complex.  
"You know I am crazy about her." Joe says to him "Yeah, then why are you doing what this to her?"  
"Doing what Frankie?" Joe says as he goes over and sits down at the table. He knows exactly what he is doing to both women, and he knows that he has to choose.  
"Talk to me Joe, obviously you can't talk to Westlake about this."  
Frankie says as he sits down next to him.  
"You know when a old girlfriend comes back into your life after along time."  
"Yeah, so."  
"What if you haven't gotten over her yet? What do you do?"  
"Not have any contact with her, especially if you have another person in your life Joe. It is not right."  
"I know." Joe says as he finds something very interesting with his hands "You know Frankie, Cameron, she is… she is everything to me. I can't lose her."  
"Joe, then you already know what you have to do, before it gets to late."  
"You are right." Joe says "Then hat are you still doing here?"  
"Ha, I am scared to death Frankie, can't a guy have a few moments. I have never been to good at this expressing my feelings thing." He pauses before continuing.  
"You know the last time I spoke to Cameron about what was going inside me, it came out as 'other things' and then I went speechless. I told her that sometimes I didn't want to be partners with her. I mean how could I ever say that, it is so untrue."  
"Joe, listen to me. Why don't you want to be partn…. Oh I gotcha."  
"See what I mean Frankie."  
"Okay different approach, what does your ex mean to you, then and now?"  
"Argh, I kissed her Frankie, I can't believe I did that. But you know what I feel some loyalty to her, but that's it."  
"You kissed her Joe?" Frankie looks over towards the elevator "Does Westlake know?"  
"I don't know. "  
"Okay, well all I can tell you is that you have to make a choice, Joe,  
just make sure it is the right one." With that the elevator opened and Westlake came into the complex.  
"Hey Frankie, what's going on?"  
"Hey Westlake, nothing much, how about you?"  
"I found some more information about that women out, I don't know there is just something I can't put my finger on. I just don't trust her." She says to him. The whole time ignoring Joe.  
"What do you mean you can't trust her?" Joe says rather defensively and walks over to where they are sitting.  
"I just think she is hiding something from us, but I can't pin it down."  
She says to him, looking straight into his eyes. She knows what is going on, but is bound and determined not to let him know, and not to let it show it bothers her, a lot.  
"I know her, you can trust her." Joe says "Don't be so defensive Joe." Was the last thing she said to him "I am not." And he sat down next to her.  
Cameron quickly got up and went to get some water, when she returned she stood next to Frankie. Joe noticed and looked up at her questionly, she didn't even acknowledge him. He looked back down at his hands sadly,  
knowing full well she was very upset.  
"Okay I am going to go back to my office and do some more research, you know where to find me, if you need me Frankie."  
"Hey Westlake let me walk you to your car?" Frankie says. Westlake looks at him funny but agrees. She goes to turn around and sees Joe looking up at her with the saddest eyes she has ever seen on him. It looked like he had just lost his best friend. Well in a sense he just did when she became second best. Westalke just turned around and left without even a goodbye to Joe.  
When they were out of hearing range Frankie started to talk to Westlake.  
"What is going on Westlake?"  
"What do you mean Frankie?"  
"Oh come on Westalke, don't play dumb with me. What is going on between you and Joe?"  
"Nothing, absolutely nothing. And from the looks of it, that's the way it's going to stay." She says sadly.  
"Westlake, look, you know Joe better than that."  
"Really, just last week he said he didn't want to be partners with me anymore, if that's what he really wants…"  
"Oh stop, you know that's not what he meant and you know it." Frankie says as they walk off the elevator.  
"Well ever since this ex girlfriend of his came into the picture, I don't know. It is just different all of a sudden."  
"This is not my place to talk to you about this, Joe should be. Westlake he is really confused about this whole situation."  
"Oh I bet he is Frankie, I know what went on between them the other day.  
I am not blind or stupid." She says rather defensively to Frankie who just looks at her. "Oh Frankie, I am sorry, I didn't mean to say it that way towards you."  
"I know, can I ask you a question though?"  
"What is it?"  
"How do you feel about Joe?"  
"Ahh.." She laughs a little to stall her answer "Let's just say before all of this happened I really started to really like him. A lot."  
"Oh so you have that problem to huh?"  
"What problem?"  
"The one where you have trouble saying what you feel?"  
"Frankie that is a long story and I really don't feel like getting into at the moment. Maybe later okay, I will tell you the whole thing."  
"Maybe you should tell Joe the same story."  
"I highly doubt he would even want to hear it."  
"You could be very wrong Westlake, then you would never know."  
"Bye Frankie" She says as she drives away. It was then that she let the tears fall. She had tried her best the whole time at the complex, but just couldn't take it anymore so she left. Then Frankie just had to 'walk her to her car' and have a little talk with her. She knew it was good that he did, she needed to hear these things, but was still really hurt by what had went on between Joe and his ex.  
"Bye Westlake."  
When Frankie returned upstairs he saw Joe sitting in the same spot, this time only with his head in his hands. This is bad, and he knew it. They were great as partners at work and personal time, Frankie didn't like to see this happening to his friends. They needed to solve this case and get back on track, with everything.  
"Joe?" Frankie says as he walks over to him "Do you need anything?"  
"Water, water would be fine, thanks."  
Frankie puts a bottle down in front of him and sits down.  
"I have really messed things up haven't I? I means he wouldn't even talk to me, listen to me or look at me for that matter."  
"Joe, she is very upset. She trusted you with her feelings, her thoughts, and then it was like you didn't care anymore. "  
"What did you tell her?" Joe asked "Nothing that she didn't already know, you know I wouldn't do that. Plus it is not my place, it is yours."  
" I know, I am to go find her."  
"Good so we can finally wrap this case up."  
Joe didn't hear him as he walked over to the Viper and got in. He headed for Westlake's office.  
Cameron had decided that she couldn't work anymore, she needed to get things straight in her head before she continued on this case. So she took off in her car to the nearest place that she could be all alone.  
  
As she headed up to Thatcher Park, she thought about calling Frankie to let him know where she was but she thought she would do that on her way back. If he needed her bad enough he would try her car phone.  
As Joe rounded the street he spotted the nearest parking spot and pulled in. he was on a mission to talk to Westlake, nothing was going to stop him. When he finally made it to her office, he saw the lights were off and her computer was shut down. He had missed her, now he had to really think where she went. Joe was about to call Frankie on his way to the cafeteria when he ran into, whom else but his ex.  
"Hi Joe."  
"Hello" was his straight answer to her "I was just looking for you."  
"What do you need?" Joe asks "I wanted to get something to eat, care to join me?"  
"I guess so." Joe said as he wondered why he always did this to himself and to Westlake. She always found out about these things, no matter what. He couldn't figure out how she did it either.  
"Look Joe, I missed you, a lot." She says as she reaches for his hands.  
As she grabs them she moves a little closer to him. Joe didn't know why but he couldn't move away.  
"I..I" was all he managed to stammer out to her as she fed him a piece of fruit. "Look I .."  
"Joe why can't we pick up where we left off all those years ago. I have never stopped thinking about you."  
He just looked at her unable to speak. And not knowing what to say either. He knew exactly what he wanted to say to her back at the complex, but why can't he here?  
They were down at the cafeteria for over an hour, Joe very much wanted to leave, but for some reason didn't. She just kept inching closer and closer to him. At that point she managed to lean in and give him a kiss.  
That was went all hell broke lose. Joe looked up and saw Westlake standing here looking at them.  
"Shit" He said as he pushed her off him and got up to go after her.  
"Cameron, wait"  
She made it to her car and almost out of the garage before she noticed the viper following her, then her phone started to ring. Cameron decided that she didn't want to talk to him and didn't answer it. She decided to call Frankie instead and tell him that she was going to be out for the rest of the afternoon and to call her if he needed her.  
"Hey Frankie" she said into the phone.  
"Westlake, where are you?"  
"I had to get out of the office. Sorry Frankie, what's up?"  
"Joe is looking for you."  
"Oh I found Joe alright." She says defensively.  
"What happened Westlake? Did he talk to you?"  
No Frankie he didn't. Actually he couldn't someone had their tongue stuck down his throat."  
"Oh Westlake I am sorry. Oh hold on I have another call."  
"Listen Frankie I am just going to go, I will be out of the office, but call me here if you need me."  
"Sure Westlake, Bye."  
"Bye Frankie"  
Westlake looked in her rear view and didn't see Joe there, so she continued on her drive out of town for the afternoon. That is what she needed, to be alone with her thoughts and pull herself back together because they had a case to solve. And work was all that mattered now,  
she had to at least be able to work with Joe at some level.  
About 6:30pm she car phone rings.  
"Hello"  
"Westlake you have to get back here there has been another murder."  
Frankie says "Alright I will be right there."  
"Do you want to go straight to the scene or ride in the Viper?"  
"I'll come to the complex Frankie. This is my job, I have to do it."  
"Okay Westlake see you in a few." Frankie says to her and hangs up.  
"What she is doing Frankie?" Joe inquires.  
"She is coming here, she will ride with you."  
"Did she say where she was?" Joe asks.  
"Boy you are just full of questions tonight aren't you?" Frankie says "No Joe she didn't, but I assume it is someplace private as well. She wants to try and do her job, she needs to."  
"I know, and I don't blame her at all." He sits back down and drops his head. "This is all my fault. Once again I mess up the most perfect thing in my life."  
"Of course it is your fault. How could you let your ex do that to you,  
especially at work and where you could be seen by Westlake or anyone else."  
As Westlake was driving back to the complex, she could do this, be able to work with him after this. It might take a while to get his trust back, but she could do this. She turned the radio on and found a station. Just Cameron's luck it was a song, she really could of done without. The lyrics came through the speakers to her.  
'You were there when I was feeling low, to walk me through The deeper the love, the deeper the emotion The stronger the love, the deeper the devotion There were times I almost let you go, when I thought I needed to break free But you were there to whisper in my ear "Why don't you share your dreams with me"  
I don't mind what you are doing to me I don't mind cause you are all I can see I don't mind because you are the world to me  
  
The song ended and Cameron was in tears again. It fit everything that had went on during their time together. Joe did mean the world to her,  
and once again it was lost because he wanted someone else. It was true he didn't want to be partners with her anymore. And this made her even more sad. She hit the channel again and picked another channel.  
"This is dedicated to Cameron." The announcer said through the speakers.  
"Oh god" she whispered to no one else but herself, she started to reach for the dial but something stopped her, she wasn't sure what it was but Westlake left the radio where it was.  
'Without you, there is no change The nights and days are gray Without you I'd be lost, I'd slip down from the top Without you in my life, I slowly wilt and die With you by my side there is no reason to lie You are the reason to live Without you my hope is small I could face a mountain but could not climb the road You are the reason the sun shines down and the nights aren't cold Through all the music Westlake never noticed the car that was following her closely. Suddenly she was off the road and leaning over the steering wheel holding her left arm.  
"Owe, what happened" she asked herself as she looked out the window to a man with a flash light, then everything went black.  
"Frankie, shouldn't Westlake be here already? I mean she couldn't of been that far away." Joe asks as he stops pacing.  
"Joe it's been 45 minutes, she will be here."  
"Call her Frankie, if she doesn't answer then I am going to go, tell her to meet me there." Joe says as he jumps in the Viper "Come on Westlake, where are you. Answer the phone." Her phone just keeps ringing and ringing.  
As Frankie goes to call Joe, Catlett rings though.  
"Frankie where is Astor and WestLake? They are late." He demands "Relax Sherman, Joe is on his way, and Westlake will be there as soon as I find her."  
"Find her? Frankie where is she?"  
"She called me about 45 minutes ago and said she would be back at the complex to go to the crime scene, but she never arrived."  
"Joe got impatient and took off, he should be by you in a few mintues."  
"Okay keep me informed about Westlake, if you find anything."  
"Alright, Bye"  
About five minutes later Joe arrives on the scene.  
"Where is Westlake?"  
"I don't know Sherman. What do we have here?"  
"Frankie said she hasn't come back yet and he can't get a hold of her on the phone. He said she is missing."  
"I am sure she is fine." Joe says as he walks over to the scene.  
"Japanese male, shot in the head."  
"Same way as all the rest. Do you think it is by the same person?"  
"Yeah, lets get the body back to the lab and wait for their results. By what forensics said the bullet came from across the street on the roof."  
"Well that's a surprise. Alright I am going back to the complex to see what Frankie found out."  
"Okay, keep me up to date about this whole situation Joe." Catlett says Back at the complex "Joe I have picked up Westlake's car on the side of the road about 10 miles out of town. A Sheriff stopped and went to see if she was okay."  
Frankie stops at that "And?"  
"Joe she wasn't in the car. It looks like she was run off the road.  
There was some blood, as well." Frankie says as he looks down at his hands "I am sorry Joe, we will find her."  
"I know we will, nothing is going to happen to her. I won't let it." Joe says "Joe wait, there is something else I have to talk to you about."  
"What?"  
"Your ex girlfriend, from the looks of all the evidence I have found she is working with these people. She is the communications expert, and the annuminations expert."  
"Are you sure?" Joe asks quietly "Yeah, I am sorry Joe."  
"So she was doing this all from the beginning on purpose." Joe says to himself but Frankie heard him.  
"I think so."  
"Damn it" Joe says as he gets into the Viper "I am going out to where they found her car, see what I can find."  
"Alright Joe, I'll keep working here."  
Joe got out and looked around the Jeep, there was foot prints out side the driver's side door that were defiantly not Westlake's, Joe did a complete scan of them and sent them back to Frankie. After he opened the door, he saw blood on the steering wheel and on the seat.  
"Oh Cameron, I am so sorry. Please be okay." That was silent prayer all the way back to the Viper.  
"Okay Frankie, what can we do now? How do we find her?"  
"As much as you hate this Joe, I traced your ex back to a building that she just recently purchased for a dummy company on the docks."  
"Do you think she is there?" Joe asks in desperation "Maybe Joe. I could use the Heat and Seek." Frankie says, as Joe is silent on the other end. "Joe you there?"  
"Yeah Frankie, just thinking."  
"About?"  
Joe started laughing "What is so funny?" Frankie asked "Cameron and I had that exact same conservation the other day, word for word."  
"Okay Joe, I am going to use the Heat and Seek I need you do start it,  
just listen to what I am saying."  
"Alright Frankie, what do I have to do."  
Frankie told Joe what he had to do and then he took off on the trail.  
"Joe there is the address if that warehouse, it is 1020 Delaware Ave.  
From what it looks like you are headed in the right direction."  
Joe didn't answer him he was just trying to get to Westlake as fast as he could. It now was deep at night and very dark and raining. So he was trying to get there in one piece as well.  
As he arrived outside the docks he shut down the headlights and drove very slowly towards the back of the main building. A flash of light catches his eye and he speeds up to see someone dragging someone out to a black truck.  
"Freeze" He yells into the speakerphone and turns on his lights. To his amazement it is Westlake and a man is holding her fast while his ex is holding a gun on Westlake.  
"Drop the gun" She dropped her gun and started running towards the other warehouse. Knowing backup was on the way he let her go for now. He had to save Westlake, who at this point didn't look to good.  
"I said drop it! It is not going to do you any good to hurt her. Drop the gun." Joe yells as he gets out of the Viper.  
"I will kill her if you move any closer." The man says "No you won't drop the gun." Joe demands He is looking right at Westlake, knowing she is just waiting for the right moment to do something to get away from this guy.  
The gun man relaxes his hold on Westlake due to the oncoming sirens of the police cars and Westlake makes her move and elbows him in the ribs with her good arm. And makes a run for Joe. The man recovers and raises his arm to shoot.  
Joe got him first just as Westlake ran right into him and wrapped her good arm around him.  
"Oh Joe.." That was all she could get out before she started to cry.  
"Shh it's okay, lets get you to the hospital and have that arm looked at." Joe says as he puts her into the car as carefully as he can.  
Two days later Cameron is out of the hospital with a fractured arm and all suspects were arrested, including Joe's ex girlfriend. He went to speak to her before picking up Westlake from the hospital.  
"Why? Can I ask that question?"  
"Because Joe I knew I could get to you and use you."  
"Was our relationship that bad, that you had to do this?" He asks her "No, not really, but they needed a way to get inside and I was the best they had to do that."  
With that Joe turned and left. It was going to be a hard road to recover, but hopefully he still had Westlake, and he knew that what they had was a lot stronger and what they had was meant to be. He loyalty was 100% more there.  
"I am looking for Cameron Westlake?" He asked as he walked through the nurses station doors. "Where is she? She was right in this room and now she is gone."  
"Relax sir, she was moved, room 1024."  
"Thanks" and he took off down the hallway "Hey partner."  
"Hi Joe."  
"Ready to go home?"  
"Yeah." Cameron said rather coldly as she grabbed her stuff. The doctor told Joe that she had been though a lot and might be a little hesitant with anyone over the next few days. SO he was just going with it.  
When they got back to her place he grabbed her stuff and followed her to her front door.  
"Joe, we need to talk."  
"I know we do."  
She held the door open for him as he walked inside.  
"Joe, I am sorry about the way I acted over this other woman. It was unprofessional, and I guess I misunderstood your intentions towards me.  
It won't happen again."  
He set down her bags and walked back over to her in the kitchen. He grabbed her hands to stop what she was doing.  
"Cameron, please lets talk about this. You didn't misunderstand anything."  
"Joe I thought you didn't want to be partners with me anymore, you hurt me."  
"Yes I know I said that to you, but what I meant was, if we weren't partners I couldn't do this." He backed her up against the wall and gave her the most romantic kiss they both have ever had in their lives.  
"Cameron you have to know how I feel about you? You have to know that I love you?"  
"I love you to Joe." And she leaned and kissed him again. 


End file.
